HOSA Medical Terminology - The Special Senses

blephar/o

eyelid

-cusis

hearing

irid/o

iris, colored part of eye

kerat/o

horny, hard, cornea

myring/o

tympanic membrane, eardrum

ophthalm/o

eye, vision

-opia

vision condition

opt/o

eye, vision

ot/o

ear, hearing

phak/o

lens of eye

presby/o

old age

retin/o

retina, net

scler/o

sclera, white of eye, hard

trop/o

turn, change

tympan/o

tympanic membrane, eardrum

adnexa (ad-NECK-sah)

the accessory or adjoining anatomical parts of an organ

amblyopia (am-blee-OH-pee-ah)

a dimness of vision or the partial loss of sight, especially in one eye, without detectable disease of the eye

ametropia (am-eh-TROH-pee-ah)

any error of refraction in which images do not focus properly on the retina

anisocoria (an-ih-so-KOH-ree-ah)

a condition in which the pupils are unequal in size

astigmatism (ah-STIG-mah-tizm)

a condition in which the eye does not focus properly because of uneven curvatures of the cornea

audiometry (aw-dee-OM-eh-tree)

the use of an audiometer to measure hearing acuity

cataract (KAT-ah-rakt)

clouding of the lens of the eye

chalazion (kah-LAY-zee-on)

a nodule or cyst, usually on the upper eyelid, caused by obstruction in a sebaceous gland

cochlear implant (KOCK-lee-ar)

an electronic device that bypasses the damaged portions of the ear and directly stimulates the auditory nerve

conjunctivitis (kon-junk-tih-VYE-tis)

aka pinkeye, is an inflammation of the conjunctiva that is usually caused by an infection or allergy

dacryoadentitis (dack-ree-oh-ad-deh-NIGH-tis)

inflammation of the lacrimal (tear) gland

diplopia (dih-PLOH-pee-ah)

aka double vision; the perception of two images of a single object

ectropion (eck-TROH-pee-ah)

outward turning of the rim of the eyelid

emmetropia (em-eh-TROH-pee-ah)

the normal relationship between the refractive power of the eye and the shape of the eye that enables light rays to focus correctly on the retina

entropion (en-TROH-pee-on)

inward turning of the eyelid, toward the eye

esotropia (es-oh-TROH-pee-ah)

strabismus characterized by an inward deviation of one or both eyes

exotropia (eck-soh-TROH-pee-ah)

aka walleye; strabismus characterized by the outward deviation of one eye relative to the other

fluorescein angiography (flew-oh-RES-ee-in-an-jee-OG-rah-fee)

a radiographic study of the blood vessels in the retina of the eye following the intravenous injection of a fluorescein dye as a contrast medium

glaucoma (glaw-KOH-mah)

a group of diseases characterized by increased intraocular pressure that causes damage to the optic nerve and retinal nerve fibers

hemianopia (hem-ee-ah-NOH-pee-ah)

blindness in one-half of the visual field

hordeolum (hor-DEE-oh-lum)

a pus-filled lesion on the eyelid resulting from an infection in a sebaceous gland

hyperopia (high-per-OH-pee-ah)

a vision defect in which light rays focus beyond the retina; also known as farsightedness

infectious myringitis (mir-ih-JIGH-tis)

a contagious inflammation of the eardrum due to a bacterial or viral infection

iridectomy (ir-ih-DECK-toh-mee)

the surgical removal of a portion of the tissue of the iris

iritis (eye-RYE-tis)

inflammation of the uvea primarily affecting structures in the front of the eye

keratitis (ker-ah-TYE-tis)

an inflammation of the cornea

labyrinthectomy (lab-ih-rin-THECK-toh-mee)

the surgical removal of all or a portion of the labyrinth

laser trabeculoplasty (trah-BECK-you-loh-plas-tee)

treatment of open-angle glaucoma by creating openings in the trabecular meshwork to allow fluid to drain properly

mastoidectomy (mas-toy-DECK-toh-mee)

the surgical removal of mastoid cells

mydriasis (mih-DRY-ah-sis)

dilation of the pupil

myopia (my-OH-pee-ah)

aka nearsightedness; a defect in which light rays focus in front of the retina

myringotomy (mir-in-GOT-oh-mee)

incision of the eardrum

nyctalopia (nick-tah-LOH-pee-ah)

a condition in which an individual with normal daytime vision has difficulty seeing at night

nystagmus (nis-TAG-mus)

involuntary, constant, rhythmic movement of the eyeball that can be congenital or caused by a neurological injury or drug use

ophthalmoscopy (ahf-thal-MOS-koh-pee)

the visual examination of the fundus of the eye with ophthalmoscope

optometrist (op-TOM-eh-trist)

a specialist who holds a Doctor of Optometry degree and provides primary eye care, including diagnosing eye diseases and conditions and measuring the accuracy of vision to determine if corrective lenses are needed.

otitis media (oh-TYE-tis MEE-dee-ah)

inflammation of the middle ear

otomycosis (oh-toh-my-KOH-sis)

aka swimmer's ear; a fungal infection of the external auditory canal

otopyorrhea (oh-toh-pye-oh-REE-ah)

the flow of pus from the ear

otorrhea (oh-toh-REE-ah)

any discharge from the ear

otosclerosis (oh-toh-skleh-ROH-sis)

hearing loss caused by the hardening of the bones of the middle ear

papilledema (pap-ill-eh-DEE-mah)

swelling and inflammation of the optic nerve at the point of entrance into the eye through the optic disk

periorbital edema (pehr-ee-OR-bih-tal eh-DEE-mah)

swelling of the tissues surrounding the eye or eyes

photophobia (foh-toh-FOH-bee-ah)

excessive sensitivity to light and can be the result of migraines, excessive wearing of contact lenses, drug use, or inflammation

presbycusis (pres-beh-KOO-sis)

a gradual loss of sensorineural hearing that occurs as the body ages

presbyopia (pres-bee-OH-pee-ah)

condition of common changes in the eyes that occur with aging

ptosis (TOH-sis)

drooping of the upper eyelid that is usually due to paralysis

radial keratotomy (ker-ah-TOT-oh-mee)

incision of the cornea for treatment of nearsightedness or astigmatism

retinopexy (RET-ih-noh-peck-see)

treatment to reattach the detached area in a retinal detachment

scleritis (skleh-RYE-tis)

inflammation of the sclera of the eye

sensorineural hearing loss (sen-suh-ree-NOOR-al)

hearing loss that develops when the auditory nerve or hair cells in the inner ear are damaged

stapedectomy (stay-peh-DECK-toh-mee)

the surgical removal of the top portion of the stapes bone and the insertion of a prosthetic device that conducts sound vibrations to the inner ear

strabismus (strah-BIZ-mus)

a disorder in which the eyes point in different directions or are not aligned correctly because the eye muscles are unable to focus together

tarsorrhaphy (tahr-SOR-ah-fee)

the partial, or complete, suturing together of the upper and lower eyelids

tinnitus (tih-NIGH-tus)

ringing or buzzing in the ears

tonometry (toh-NOM-eh-tree)

the measurement of intraocular pressure

tympanometry (tim-pah-NOM-eh-tree)

the use of air pressure in the ear canal to test for disorders of the middle ear

vertigo (VER-tih-goh)

sensation of moving through space (while stationary)

vitrectomy (vih-TRECK-toh-mee)

the removal of the vitreous humor and its replacement with a clear solution

xerophthalmia (zeer-ahf-THAL-mee-ah)

aka dry eye; drying of eye surfaces, including the conjunctiva